Crossroads of Destiny
by Transformersfan123
Summary: Sequel to Memories and Magic. Since their first trip to the Mystic Isles, their bond has deepened and their friendship has become sweeter. But even the best of friends have troubles, especially when bad memories crop up. When the memories become all too real, can they get through, or will Cedric end up a changed man? And will it be for better…or worse? FRIENDSHIP ONLY!
1. I'm Sorry, Cedric

Here is the beginning of the second part of the trilogy I've written. Please enjoy!

Oh, and some time has passed. Sofia is fifteen now. She was eleven in the first one. :)

Also, this entire story is uploaded in audio form on YouTube.

* * *

Sofia knocked twice on the door then opened it to see Cedric carefully dripping something green into something blue. She quietly shut the door then seated herself to the side and pulled out her Sorcery homework. Cedric didn't even glance back, his lips pursed as he concentrated. His consciousness pet hers lightly before retreating as far back as it could.

"Just a little more…" he murmured, and Sofia smiled. He talked to himself while making potions, but he claimed it was Wormwood he was speaking to. She knew the truth, though.

One final drop and the potion turned purple. He cried out his accomplishment then sat back.

"It's done!"

"Took you long enough," Wormwood derided.

"Be quiet, Wormy." He turned to grin at Sofia. "How are you, my dear?"

"I'm okay. What are you making?"

"A potion for your father. It's to try to cure his allergy to cats. I've tried several others, but this is the strongest I can make. That stupid allergy seems almost magical!"

"Oh. I know just how allergic to cats he is," Sofia replied. "Don't I, Wormwood?"

"Stupid girl," the bird muttered.

"Do tell," Cedric said.

"Amber once made a bad wish in the well, you know, that one in the garden? that made me a cat. It was _quite_ the adventure to turn back into a human. And Wormwood was trying to steal my amulet the whole time."

Cedric smiled. "Well, he hasn't tried that in a long time, has he?"

"No, Cedric."

The sorcerer nodded at her then moved to clean off his bench, corking bottles and setting them back on their proper shelves. The girl hadn't called him "Mister" since their first trip to the Mystic Isles four years before. Now Sofia was fifteen, and they had been there many times. They used the time there to talk and catch up, especially after particularly busy periods of their lives. They were planning to go there again very soon.

"What are you working on for school?" Cedric asked as he replaced the final vial.

"Advanced ice making. We're working on designs. I was thinking of doing one that looks like Clover."

"Ooh, ice making. How difficult," the man teased, his silver eyes sparkling.

Sofia laughed. In the four years that had passed since they had been linked magically, both of them had become far more powerful. Neither of them really _needed_ a wand, but they used them to keep up appearances. When Cedric had kept using one despite the freed magic, Sofia had asked why.

"Well, what I am, what _we_ are, is so rare, Sofia. I don't want to cause a fuss. And there would be all those questions on why I was so bad for so long. That brings up Ambretta, and besides you, I'm not comfortable discussing her with anybody. Especially not your father. So, if I use a wand, or appear to, I will avoid those things. I would appreciate if you did, too, but I won't force you."

Sofia had understood, and she had been content to use her magic without a focus, but when the other students started to stare at her, she had grown severely uncomfortable. Then the teachers started whispering about her, and then Miss Flora had, quite seriously, asked if things were alright. Unable to stand the judgement in other people's gazes, Sofia said yes, just that she felt funny and that it would pass. After that, she never performed magic without a wand in her hand unless it was just her and Cedric and their pets.

Both the sorcerer and the princess were content in their own tasks for a couple hours before Baileywick came and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Cedric called, writing out some notes.

"Princess Sofia, dinner is ready," Baileywick said, bowing.

"I'll be there in a second."

"You have a hundred and twenty," the steward replied then turned and left, closing the door behind him.

"I better get to the dining room," Sofia said apologetically.

"I bet my dinner's ready, too. I've got to feed Wormy then I'll head down and get it. How about we take a nice stroll in the garden after dinner?"

"Sounds great! I'll see you, Cedric."

"Goodbye, Sofia."

The girl left, and Cedric could feel her going, and he could feel that she was hungry. Their link had deeply unsettled both of them at first. They could skim thoughts if they focused on it, and sometimes, if they were strong enough, they didn't even need to try. Emotions could leak over the bond, and they always knew the exact location of the other, no matter where they were in the castle, kingdom, or world. When it had started, they couldn't really concentrate on anything else, but they soon grew accustomed to it, and now they rarely thought about it unless they wanted to.

"I'm still hungry, Cedric," Wormwood said pointedly.

"Oh, hush," the sorcerer scolded. "I'll get your food."

After feeding his pet, he hurried down to the kitchen to find a nice plate of duck and potatoes. Settling into his own little dark corner, he ate his hearty meal, sharing his experience with Sofia, who was having a much different version of duck. It was so much fancier and a bit delicate. Cedric much preferred his own meal, but hers was delicious, too.

Afterwards, they met in the garden and strolled through the hedge maze, joyfully talking about their days. It was a simple pleasure, but it was one they greatly looked forward to. They parted after an hour, got ready for bed, and fell asleep. For the first time in a long, long time, there was a memory.

 _Cedric stood outside the closed door, shaking. Roland glared at him then gestured for him to go in._

 _"She wants to see you. The doctor said she doesn't have much time. She wants to see you alone."_

 _The teenager went in, bracing himself for the worst. Ambretta lay in the large bed, too thin and pale for his liking. The door closed behind him, and he shyly walked over._

 _"Ambretta?"_

 _He was afraid for a moment that he was too late, but then her chest rose and fell ever so slightly. She opened her eyes, her beautiful golden eyes, and there was resignation in them._

 _"Have you seen them?"_

 _"The children?" Cedric asked hesitantly. "Yes, they are beautiful. Amber and James. They both have your eyes."_

 _"You'll watch over them while I'm gone, won't you? You'll take care of them?"_

 _"I…Ambretta, please don't…" He couldn't say it, and tears fell down his slender cheeks. "You can't leave me here with him. He'll hate me forever. Please, stay."_

 _She smiled that one smile, the one she had never given her husband once, the one she only gave to him. "Don't forget me. You won't, will you?"_

 _"I promise I won't. I swear it. I'll remember you always."_

 _"Thank you. Give me a kiss?"_

 _Cedric's heart leapt into his throat. Kiss the king's wife? But she had asked for it. Cedric moved closer then leaned down. An inch from her lips, he stopped then moved to peck her cheek. She smiled, and when she spoke, her voice was far, far away, farther than Cedric had ever gone before._

 _"Such a sweet man, Cedric. I love you. Love you so…"_

 _The last word never fell from her delicate lips, and Cedric pulled back and watched the light fade from her eyes. From her beautiful, golden eyes. The eyes that would never watch a brush go over her paintings again, that would never see her own children grow up, that would never light up in laughter when he did something awkward. He carefully arranged her arms then walked to the door._

 _When he got out of the room, he heard his own voice speak words, but they were garbled. Calm floated around him, otherworldly calm. The calm before the storm. He walked to his room, shrugging off his parents' concern. Without a word, he lay down and stared at the ceiling. His heart hadn't begun to hurt yet, and he didn't want it to. He wanted to forget, to go away forever and ever. He wished it so fiercely as he fell asleep that he practically felt his mind flying away. Maybe he would go and be with Ambretta. That sounded so perfect…_

 _Cedric opened his eyes to see a silver orb in the sky. There were no people around, and it was quiet. Very, very quiet. And that's when he screamed until his throat was raw._

The sorcerer's eyes flew open and he found himself howling. He rolled over to stifle his sobs in his pillow. The screams wouldn't stop, and when a gentle hand was placed on his back, he couldn't even acknowledge it. It took a good half an hour to calm himself down to where he was able to relax his grip on his poor, misshapen pillow. He was handed a cup of steaming hot chocolate, and he gulped a good third of it in several seconds. The heat made his tender throat hurt. Sofia was rather numb herself after the violent outburst, and they sat there for a while, drinking their cocoa and staring at nothing.

"I've never seen that one before," the girl finally whispered.

"I'm so sorry, Sofia," Cedric said, his voice low and rough. "I am so very sorry."

"I've never seen anybody die before," she said softly, her gaze on his books.

"I wish I hadn't. I think she held on just to see me one last time. I…I don't think that was wise, for my own sanity's sake. But I would have regretted not seeing her more."

"So that's when you went to the Mystic Isles for a while?"

"Yes, my dear. That's when I went to the Mystic Isles. I don't know for how long. The memory is one long blur of pain and trying to forget. My magic never worked right after that, and I became much clumsier. I needed a wand to do things, even simple things that I had done before without a thought. When I came back, I forgot, but not her. I couldn't forget her. I promised I wouldn't, anyway."

Sofia nodded, still drained from such a huge burst of emotion, both from the dream and the aftereffects from it on her friend. They sat there a bit longer, then Cedric shook his head.

"You have school tomorrow, Sofia. Go to bed if you can. I'll give you a sleeping powder."

"I'll take it."

After carefully measuring the blue powder, he slipped it into two cups of water.

"Drink this quickly when you get to your room. Don't do it beforehand or you'll pass out in the hallways. Lay down and pray for no more dreams tonight."

"Thanks, Cedric."

She paused at the door that led up to the sorcerer's workroom. Looking back, her blue eyes filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Cedric. I'm so sorry."

He gave a halfhearted smile then turned to get back into bed. Taking his own glass of water, he downed it then settled back as the sleeping draught began to do its work. Once Sofia was settled, they both drifted off to sleep. Thankfully, there were no more dreams.


	2. You

Here is chapter 2. After this, you are halfway through this story. :( It is so much shorter, I know.

Still, enjoy it while you can! :) It gets very, _very_ interesting at the end of this chapter!

* * *

"What do you mean you have to leave?" Sofia demanded when she'd gotten home from school to find a trunkful of magical items being packed.

"It's a Royal Sorcerer's meeting," Cedric replied. "Was called this morning. Some sort of huge disturbance. It's a genuine emergency, or some sort of nonsense."

"Nonsense?" the girl asked.

"If a king or queen called the meeting, it's usually not really a magical emergency. I'll be back, hopefully sooner rather than later. You know if you need _anything_ , I'm a simple thought away."

Sofia walked him to the flying carriage, petting the horses kindly and telling all of them to be careful.

"Of course, Princess," Quartz replied, ruffling her feathers.

"It's alright, Sofia. I'll be back really soon."

She bit her bottom lip, glancing around. Cedric noticed; she'd been doing that since she got home.

"Is something wrong?"

"I just really don't think you should go. I have a really, really bad feeling."

"What kind of bad feeling?"

"Something feels…off. I don't know…"

"Wrong. Something feels wrong," Cedric said after a brief skim through her mind and feelings. Now that he'd felt what she did, he couldn't help but detect the same wrong feeling that had been following him all day. They were both so sensitive with magic that he shook his head as he threw his trunk in the back and said, "It's very important that I go."

"Why?" she asked desperately.

"If we both feel that something is wrong, and we can't tell what is causing it, there must really be something wrong magically. I will keep you informed of what's happening. You know enough magic that you can handle yourself if something bad occurs." She looked unsure so that he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I trust you, Sofia. You're a strong, brave girl. You can handle more than you think. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered. She embraced him then he got up into the carriage. The coachman hurried out of a side door and bowed slightly.

"Are you ready, sir?"

"I am. Fly quickly. It is an emergency meeting, and everybody needs to get there as soon as possible," Cedric said.

"Yes, sir. Princess, if you would stand back," the man said.

She took several steps away then waved halfheartedly as they took off. She was so nervous, and even James noticed her unease at breakfast the next morning.

"You okay, sis?" he asked, his voice a bit lower than it had been as a child. At seventeen, he had grown just as tall as his father, and he had matured quite a bit since the day he got to be king for a day. He still had his moments, but then again, he was still a boy.

"Just tired," she lied quietly. "I think I'm going to take a walk."

She hurried to the secret spot that Cedric had shown her. It was well-maintained, and Sofia often went there alone when her friend was too busy. She seated herself on a bench she solidified from the small fountain then focused on Cedric. He welcomed her into his mind as he walked into the room full of sorcerers. He was no longer intimidated by other magic users, or most other people, and when everybody turned to see who had entered, he simply inclined his head and seated himself.

"Is everybody here?" he asked Ivan the Incredible, who was sitting beside him.

"Silvia isn't," Ivan replied with his thick accent. "And Trenton isn't coming. There was an incident with a dragon."

"I got here as fast as possible. Who called the meeting?"

"Raymond the Rich," Ivan replied. "Something very big must have happened, because he was going on about something to do with time."

"Time?" Cedric groaned. "Doesn't every sorcerer know not to play with time? There are aging potions and youth spells, but that's dangerous enough! Did somebody go back to ten minutes ago or something?"

"It is much worse than that, Cedric. Something came _forward_. Several somethings," Raymond said, his deep voice pouring over them like a good drink.

"What?"

"We don't know, but we need to find out."

There was a rustle and somebody came barreling through the hedge to her left, making Sofia scream and come back to her own surroundings. She stared in horror at what she saw.

 _~Cedric? I think I know what came through.~_

 _~What?~_ he asked her in bewilderment.

She stared at the young face, the silver eyes so familiar, yet so foreign and filled with an old fear that she hadn't seen in years. His thin chest was heaving for breath, his gaunt cheeks bright red, and he looked terrified.

 _~You.~_ She said softly.


	3. Past Meets Present

Here you are. A nice, long chapter for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!

* * *

There was a curse that echoed through her mind, and fright passed through them at the same moment. The terror on the boy's face was much more pronounced.

"Cedric, I—" Sofia started, unsure of what to say.

"Shh!" the boy said frantically, gesturing frantically for her to be quiet. "He'll hear you!"

"Who?"

"Prince Roland!"

"P-Prince? He's here?"

"Of course he's here! He lives in the castle over there!"

 _~Ask me…um, him what he was doing!~_ Cedric said over the link.

"What were you just doing?" Sofia asked.

"Running! From that brute!" young Cedric replied.

"Was anything…weird?"

Young Cedric blinked, thinking hard. "Y-yeah. When we jumped over the ridge, I fell for a really long time. Why?" He paused then looked suspicious. "Who are you? How do you know where this place is?"

 _~Cedric?!~_

 _~Measure what truth you tell him. You can't hide that he's from the past, but don't just blurt it out! He'll panic, and when I used to panic, it was just as big a magical emergency!~_

"I'm Princess Sofia," she said, standing and curtseying beautifully.

"Princess? What kingdom are you from?"

"Enchancia."

"That's impossible! _I'm_ from Enchancia, and the only princess here is Princess Matilda!"

"Aunt Tilly is a duchess now, and she goes around having adventures," Sofia said cautiously.

"Matilda…is your aunt? But that means that Prince Roland has children! And you're too old to be Roland's child! You're old enough to be Roland's sister!"

"Unless."

"Un…unless?" Young Cedric pursed his lips then looked around carefully. He took in the fountain, which hadn't been there before—Sofia had added the fountain with her own magic. He took in the red and silver roses—they used to be blue and gold for Ambretta. He took in the taller hedges—they had only come up right past his head, but now they were a good foot and a half. His face went blank. "Did I send myself into the future?"

"We…We don't know how it happened, but you must stay calm," Sofia said soothingly. "I know how your powers get when you're agitated. Just take a few deep breaths. In…and out. That's right, breathe."

Young Cedric took in several large, calming breaths then sat down on the bench beside her. "Am I the only one here?"

"I don't know. We need to go and see if others are. Did you see Prince Roland after you fell?"

"I was running too fast," Young Cedric whispered. "I can't really remember anything getting here. I've come here so often…"

"Shh, I know. Just relax."

Young Cedric looked around then shivered. "Is Roland the king?"

"Yeah, he's my dad."

"Really?" the boy looked surprised. "But you look nothing like him!"

"He's my stepdad."

"Oh." Young Cedric paused then hunched over. "Do I really have to see him?"

"Yes. Come on."

They slipped from the hedge onto the path and headed for the castle. Sofia walked in to see Baileywick rubbing his head.

"Baileywick? What's wrong?"

"Cedric was called away on a magical emergency? Well, I think we know what happened."

"Yes, I know."

The man looked up to see Young Cedric, and he groaned. "This is making my head hurt. King Roland is in there talking to himself. His young self. And…"

"And?" Sofia asked fearfully.

"And Miranda is meeting with…Ambretta."

"Ambretta?" Young Cedric asked, his eyes lighting up. "She's here?"

"Yes."

Sofia smiled. "Let's go and see them."

"Must I?" Young Cedric asked.

"You must," Sofia replied then led him toward the throne room when Baileywick pointed, unable to speak again as he gripped his head as if to nurse a headache. She didn't blame him.

Sofia reached over with her mind to touch Cedric, who was trying to communicate that Enchancia was the place that the time jump had happened without mentioning that it was probably his fault.

 _~Cedric?~_

The man fell back and let the others talk for a moment. _~Yes?~_

 _~How did this happen?~_

 _~It must have been the dream! I didn't mean to do it!~_

 _~I'm not accusing you. What do I do? Any instructions?~_

Cedric thought for a moment. _~Don't tell him that Ambretta is dead. Make something up.~_

 _~What do I tell Ambretta and my dad? Um, the prince my dad, not my older dad.~_

There was a curse. _~Ambretta is there?!~_

 _~Baileywick said so.~_

 _~Don't tell her. Please, don't tell them. Especially how she died. Oh! I have to go! Be strong! And be clever!~_

Sofia affirmed this then drew back as she and Young Cedric went into the throne room. She saw her dad talking with his younger self. Ambretta stood off to the side, talking with an uncomfortable looking Miranda. Cedric smiled warmly when he saw her. She turned and gave him that smile.

"Cedric! You're here, too? We're in the future!"

"Stupid little weasel," Young Roland growled, causing his older counterpart to stare in surprise.

"Shut up, Roland," Ambretta replied, fire in her golden eyes.

"But he is!"

"I mean it, Roland!"

"Fine," he grumbled, crossing his arms. Afterwards, there was a long, uncomfortable silence.

"Where am I?" Cedric finally asked, glancing around.

"And where am I?" Ambretta queried.

Roland and Miranda looked too frightened, and Ambretta glanced over them. Sofia spoke quickly to keep them from telling the truth.

"Out in another kingdom seeing the sights!" she exclaimed. "You're on a break, Cedric, and you took Ambretta with you!"

Young Cedric lit up, and Ambretta smiled. "So where does he work?"

"He's the Royal Sorcerer," Sofia replied as her mom and dad relaxed a bit. "And such a wonderful Royal Sorcerer! He taught me some of the best magic!"

The boy puffed his chest out proudly, grinning at Ambretta. Young Roland snorted, but didn't say anything. He didn't have to, though. The disdain in his expression was quite clear.

"Should we call Cedric here?" Roland asked, unsure of what to do with himself.

"I'm pretty sure all the Royal Sorcerers are going to come here, Dad," Sofia answered. "Once they find out where this happened. I've already written a note to Cedric and sent it to him. They're probably talking about it now."

"Good. What can we do now?"

"How about food?" Young Roland asked. "It was almost time for dinner."

"Food?" Miranda asked. "Certainly. Baileywick?"

The steward had been watching from the doorway, and he hurried forward and bowed. "Yes, your majesty?"

"Can you see if the chef can make lunch early?"

"Immediately, Queen Miranda."

He hurried away, leaving the royals, both past and present, with Ambretta and Young Cedric. Roland, Miranda, and Sofia were uncomfortable, but the girl knew they had to pretend. It wouldn't be good if Young Roland discovered that he had been married to Ambretta and that she was dead. Ambretta was a mystery, but to know she had died would be uncomfortable to say the least. It wasn't them that the princess was worried about, though. It was Young Cedric. The older Cedric had told her of his power bursts before, and they could be extremely bad.

Baileywick came in after several minutes of awkward silence. "Lunch will be served in ten minutes for everybody."

"I don't have to eat in the kitchen?" Young Cedric asked hesitantly.

"You are our guest, Cedric," Roland said. "You're welcome to eat at the table with the family."

"Thank you, sire," the boy said, bowing as neatly as he could; it was still graceless, which Sofia knew was from lack of confidence and from growing too fast.

"To the dining room!" Young Roland exclaimed.

Sofia snagged her dad's arm as they walked behind the three younger teens. "Dad, where are Amber and James?"

"They went out for a few days on a camping trip with some classmates," Roland whispered.

"We have to get Ambretta back before they see her!"

"How do you know so much about Ambretta?" the man asked in confusion.

Sofia simply shook her head then straightened and went to her seat. Young Cedric seemed insecure as he slipped silently into the chair beside her. He leaned over to Sofia.

"I've never eaten with the royals before," he confided. "I always eat in the kitchen."

"Your older self eats in the kitchen, too, but usually he prefers it. He likes simple food over the fancy stuff we eat. I hope you like it, though," she replied.

"Do you know what we're eating?"

"Baileywick, what are we having today?" Sofia asked the steward.

"Prime rib with gravy and a vegetable medley," he replied.

Young Cedric looked bewildered, as if he'd never heard of that before, and when the food was served, he didn't know where to start. Sofia helped him fill his plate then watched him take his first bite of 'posh food,' as the older Cedric called it. He tried to eat carefully and neatly, but he still ended up spilling gravy down the front of his robes. Young Roland laughed cruelly, while Ambretta glared at him. Young Cedric was bright red, clearly embarrassed, and he refused to eat anymore until Sofia told him it was alright and that she knew a spell to clean him up.

Afterwards, Sofia took the boy to his secret spot, where they sat down and she cleaned his robes with water and her own magic.

"Thank you, Princess Sofia," he said glumly. "You're much too kind to a clumsy oaf like me."

"So you're a little clumsy," Sofia said dismissively. "I was too when I hit my growth spurt. You'll grow out of it."

"Knock, knock," Ambretta said, peeking her head in. "Can I come in?"

"Certainly!" Young Cedric said, patting the bench beside him. She settled in, and the boy, who had been relatively silent up to this point, started to talk.

"Boy, that food was good! I've never had anything like that! Usually when the royals are served prime rib, I get the not-so-prime rib. It was delicious! The chef usually doesn't put too much attention to my food. Even Baileywick gets better food than me most of the time! I don't think that's fair, but I can't complain. I'm just the stupid idiot."

"You aren't an idiot," both girls said at the same time.

"So, what's Cedric like as a grown-up?" Ambretta asked as they smiled at each other.

"He's my best friend, along with my rabbit, Clover," Sofia replied. "He's so nice. He's still a little clumsy," she said with a small laugh. "But I love him anyway. He's one of the best and strongest sorcerers I have ever met, and he helps me with my sorcery homework."

"Me?" Young Cedric asked in surprise. " _I_ do that?"

"You when you're older," Sofia said with a nod. "You're going to turn out wonderfully. Just give it time."

"What about Ambretta?" the boy asked eagerly.

Sofia smiled to hide her discomfort. "She is a…an artist," she said, tripping on her words as she openly lied. "She has painted some of the best paintings for other kingdoms! She's working on a masterpiece for the castle, but it's not ready yet, so she doesn't want anybody to see it. I don't think she'd even want herself to see it. No offense, but she's very secretive about this one."

"I'm not offended," Ambretta said. "I do like to wait until my art is complete before I show anybody. Even Cedric."

Sofia nodded then stood up and went to sit right by the fountain. She reached into Cedric's mind while the other two talked, keeping her face as serene as possible.

 _~What's going on?~_

 _~Everybody is headed to Enchancia. We need to fix this. Keep me calm, and keep all of them away from the memorial wall in the castle.~_

Sofia just about cursed, but caught herself with an embarrassed noise. _~I forgot about that. What happens if they find out?~_

 _~I am sort of starting to remember this adventure, but only a little. I think that traveling across the time bridge will make them forget this until it actually happens when they're older. I don't remember everything that happens, though, so I don't know. And Sofia?~_

 _~Yes?~_

 _~If any situation in the the world calls for a swear word, it's this one.~_

 _~I hate cursing.~_

 _~I know. I'm just letting you know it's okay to me.~_

 _~Thanks. I gotta go. See you when you get here.~_

 _~Hopefully it will be by this evening. We're all rushing.~_

She pulled back to find Young Cedric and Ambretta still talking. Sitting up, she decided that staying here was going to be fine. It would keep them away from the memorial wall for the original queen. They would only have to go to the castle for dinner, then they'd go for a walk in the gardens until Cedric got here. If they followed that plan, nothing would go wrong. Right?


	4. Wrong and Right

Last chapter for this story, and I really, _really_ like how this one ends. I think it's very realistic. Enjoy and stay tuned for the third part of this storyline soon! (Probably tomorrow, but no guarantees.)

* * *

It had gone so wrong. So very, very _wrong._ They had stayed in their secret spot until dinner then went to eat. Young Cedric had greatly enjoyed the roasted chickenwith baked potatoes and glazed carrots. A dessert of apple tartlets with vanilla bean ice cream topped it off nicely, then they had gone for a walk. When they went back into the castle to go to bed, Sofia relaxed and fell into bed, confident that everything was going to be alright.. She awoke to a _boom!_

Apparently, Young Cedric hadn't been able to sleep, and he had explored a bit to see how things were different in the future. His bedroom had been too dangerously close to the memorial room, and he had walked in to see his worst nightmare. Sofia ran in her nightgown to the room, where she saw a hole in the castle that led outside. Ambretta stood there in one of Sofia's old nightgowns, staring with wide eyes out the hole. Thankfully, Young Cedric had destroyed the memorial, and there was no evidence of what it was that set him off.

"Sofia!" a voice called, and she spun to see about ten Royal Sorcerers sprinting for them.

Cedric stopped in front of his friend and was about to say something when he saw her. She was staring at him with wide, golden eyes, taking in his appearance. The other sorcerers raced after the havoc-wreaking teenager, shouting something about how the time bridge must have collapsed on itself and had opened a tear. Cedric didn't move, his mouth slightly open as he stared at the love of his life.

"Cedric?" she asked gently.

"A-Ambretta…" he murmured, moving to take her hands.

She looked around behind him then her shoulders slumped. "I'm not here anymore, am I?"

"Um…N-no. You're not."

"Did I stop loving you?"

"Never. You loved me until the day you…"

The last word wasn't said, just like the last word never fell from her lips on that terrible day. Understanding filled her eyes, and she nodded once, standing tall.

"I'm glad. You were always such a lovely boy. And you've turned into a lovely man."

Cedric blushed fiercely, shuffling his feet as shyness overwhelmed him. "Thank you. Just so you know, I don't think you ever remembered finding out what happened to you. At least, not until…"

Again, the words wouldn't come out, so Ambretta nodded again.

"So, I won't remember this? None of us will?"

"I don't think so. Not until this happens when they're older. I'm remembering now. Funny. Memory spells never did work on me. Time has a funny was of messing with memory to break me like this."

There was another _boom_ then Arthur the Amicable came in, panting. "We need everybody, Cedric! This tear is enormous! Can either of you do magic?" he asked the two girls.

"You want children to help?" Cedric demanded as Sofia nodded and Ambretta shook her head.

"We need to contain this!"

"Fine, do you have an extra wand?"

He pulled one out of his right sleeve and tossed it to Sofia, who caught it as he raced off again.

"Come on, Ambretta. I do believe we'll need your help, too," Cedric sighed.

"Is it really a tear?" she asked gently.

"No. It's me. Again."

"You'll get the hang of it."

"Yes, but it will take many years. Now hurry!"

The two girls and the sorcerer raced into the night, which was lit by a half-moon and glimmering stars. They found the 'tear' easily, and everybody had beams of light connected to it, trying to calm it down.

"Their magic isn't doing any good!" Sofia moaned.

"I know. We need to get me away from everybody. Then Ambretta can talk me down. I hope. Quickly, Sofia! We must teleport the four of us away!"

"Where to?"

"The forest grove!" the man said decisively.

The two Mystiques, as their rare kind was called, gathered the magic inside of them and raised their wands as one. They didn't say a word and suddenly the world was a narrow tube that sucked them through. There was a terrible storm of energy inside the tube, which spit them out in the forest. Ambretta panted and stood up.

"Cedric! Ceddy! Please! Calm down!"

There was a shriek from inside the core of the storm, and it only got worse.

"Calm down! Please!"

Another shriek was his only reply.

"I can't! He won't listen!" Ambretta said frantically.

Cedric took a deep breath then went over to stand right by the core. His power protected him from debris.

"I know it's upsetting!" he shouted. "I know you want to marry her! I know you love her! But this isn't going to change anything, and you know it! My past is set! Love her now! Cherish her now! You have time! Make it worth remembering!"

The storm began to calm, and it dissipated to reveal Young Cedric sitting on the ground, tears streaming down his face.

"Why does this happen?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Cedric replied gently. "But you won't remember any of this when you get back."

"Memory spells don't work on me," he muttered, swiping his arm across his cheek.

"Time has a funny way of messing with memories," Cedric assured him. "We have to get the two of you back to your own time. We've already sent Prince Roland back."

Young Cedric struggled to his feet, still crying. "Are you sure I can't change anything?"

"I'm sure."

"What if I became king?"

Cedric paused. "No. That won't do."

"Why not?" Young Cedric asked, getting excited. "Then nobody will bother me! Roland will stop teasing me! Everybody will bow to me! Then everything will go as planned!"

Sofia watched and something dawned on her, but she kept it to herself for the moment.

"Put the idea our of your mind," Cedric scolded. "Now, let's get you two back to your own time."

Ambretta leaned into Young Cedric and kissed him gently. "Everything will be alright. Look at who you turn out to be!"

"What about you?"

She shrugged lightly, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the castle. Cedric and Sofia followed them to find the sorcerers putting the castle back together. There was a collective sigh of relief from all of them as they gathered around.

"You managed to close the tear?"

"Yes," Cedric lied. "With Sofia's help. It had already sucked up my younger self. Now, let's straighten this mess out!"

"Bye, Cedric," Ambretta said gently, pulling his younger counterpart close and smiling that one, precious smile.

"Goodbye, Ambretta," he whispered, raising his wand with the others.

"With the chanting of this rhyme, we send you back to your own time!" they all shouted, and there was a burst of rainbow light as the bridge opened and drew them in.

The wrong feeling that had filled both Sofia and Cedric broke like a fever, and they knew everything was alright again. They smiled at each other as the sun's first rays filled the sky.

"I'd say its time for bed, wouldn't you?" Cedric asked. "I'm sure the king will let you all stay in the castle for a day. Just ask. I'm going to go unpack then sleep."

Silvia the Sarcastic nodded, too tired to make a quip, and they turned to finish fixing the castle as Cedric and Sofia walked to his workroom. They yawned as they shut the door behind them. Clover was there with Wormwood; while they still didn't get along most of the time, they had both figured that the sorcery room was the best place to be during the storm.

"Sofe!" Clover said in relief. "You're alright!"

"Of course. Cedric helped."

"It was _his_ fault!" Wormwood said disdainfully.

"Him from the past, not him from the present…Wait, was that right?" Sofia asked.

"You're tired. _I'm_ tired. I don't think we should talk about the specifics of traveling over the time bridge until we get a good rest in."

"Good thing I don't have school today," Sofia said with another yawn.

"Good indeed."

There was a knock on the door, and Baileywick came in without Cedric's response. The man looked relieved to see the princess.

"Sofia! You're alright! Your father and mother wish to make sure you are. They want to see you in the parlor."

"I'll be right there. Give me a minute."

He nodded and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"You should go and see your parents. They're probably worried sick," Cedric said, turning away.

"In a minute. I noticed something earlier."

"What's that?"

"Your younger self wanted to become king."

"Yes. And?"

"When did you start to want to take over the kingdom?"

"Oh, I don't know…Actually, about thirteen…"

"Why?"

"I don't know," he repeated, a funny look appearing on his face. "It just felt like I woke up one day with the idea."

They considered the implications of this discovery for a moment then Cedric shook his head. "I don't know what would have happened if I'd listened to myself," he sighed. "But what's done is done. I am quite satisfied with my life now, and it all started with this little mishap."

Sofia smiled, and both of their amulets lit up, pink for Sofia and blue for Cedric, power washed over them, and they shivered.

"I wonder what new power we have now?" Cedric queried.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course! How else will I take over the kingdom?"

They both laughed, and Sofia went to the door. She looked back for a brief moment as Clover hopped out.

"Cedric? It's okay to cry."

The door closed behind her, and Cedric let the tears fall freely. He had seen Ambretta again, and she had blessed him with one final smile. It was too much. Even Wormwood had no snide remark, instead just letting the man alone.

Cedric cried for an hour then fed his pet and went downstairs to bed. He slipped under the blankets after a long draught of water laced with sleeping powder then settled in. As he drifted off, he saw that beautiful smile, the one reserved for only him, and those golden eyes shining with love for him. It was all he dreamed of, and when he woke up, his soul was content. Later that evening, after dinner, he spoke with Sofia.

"I meant what I said, Sofia. I'm satisfied with my life. I might have lost Ambretta, but I have you for a friend, and that means more that all the kingdoms in the world."

They embraced, and the girl wiped away the tears that fell.

"I'm glad, Cedric. How about a trip to the Mystic Isles tonight?"

"Sounds like a plan. For now, how about a walk?"

Without another word, they set off on a familiar path, and even with the jagged pieces left behind by the incident, they felt more complete than ever.


End file.
